"Reject Extremists," Says PM. Great Advice! Let's Start With Umno, Lair Of The Nation's Most Treacherous Ultras

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Sunday reminded Malaysians not to allow extremist tendencies to take root and undermine interracial harmony in the country.

The prime minister said the moderates should play a role in ensuring that members of the public were not swayed by extremist propaganda which played on people's emotions by raising sensitive religious and racial issues.

"I'm really concerned when issues involving religion are brought up from time to time and the attendant problems that all of us would need to address.

"If moderates don't take centre stage, surely extremist elements will occupy it, making us fall for their extremist approach being touted as a religious or national approach," he said.

Abdullah said this at a Christmas tea party organised by the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) and Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Datuk Murphy Pakiam here.

The event was attended by about 200 guests, including Abdullah's wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen and Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat.

In his speech, Abdullah said bigger problems would crop up if unscrupulous people continued to peddle their extremist views.

The prime minister said to deal with the issue, Malaysians should manifest a high level of understanding, tolerance and respect for each other which have been the hallmarks of the multi-ethnic Malaysian society all this while.

"We do have a big responsibility to shoulder as we need to ensure that our country remains safe and peaceful for our own mutual benefit," he said.

Abdullah said as a multiracial country, Malaysia had come a long way to be where it was now -- a nation capable of bringing progress, peace and stability to its people, thanks to the sacrifices of all the races.

However, he said, there was a need for the people to maintain what had been achieved thus far so that the country's development, peace and stability could be inherited by future generations.

On the tea reception, Abdullah described the muhibbah (unity) spirit shown by people of various ethnic backgrounds, who came together to join in the Christmas celebrations, as a potent symbol of friendship that should be preserved. (Bernama)

***** I fully agree with the Prime Minister that we have to be on our guard against extremists and be wary of their vile propaganda. But where Pak Lah and I differ is on WHO the real extremists in Malaysia are. The PM follows the Umno line of thinking that whoever speaks out against the abuses of Umno or disagrees with their racist policies is an extremist.

Many of the ordinary citizens of the country however feel that the Umno leaders themselves who while outwardly pretending to espouse and preach ethnic harmony, in real fact play a vicious form of religio-racist divide-and-rule political game, couched deviously in one-sided pseudo-nationalistic terms, namely bangsa, agama dan negara. They are the true embodiment of the type of extremism which this country can do without.
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